The couple told Us Weekly that former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin did not know about their plans until now.

"We got engaged two weeks ago," the magazine quotes 19-year-old Bristol Palin as saying. "It felt right, even though we don't have the approval of our parents."

Sarah Palin has not yet commented on the report.

"It is intimidating and scary just to think about what her reaction is going to be. Hopefully she will jump on board," the magazine quotes Bristol Palin as saying.

The two reconciled three months ago during custody discussions about their 18- month-old son, Tripp.

Johnston, 20, told the magazine, "I really thought we were over. So when I went, I had no hope. I think we both just started talking - and then we took Tripp for a walk."

"They opened up to us about how they had the baby so young and it was really hard for them to work together to raise Tripp," Us Weekly Senior Editor Lindsey Powers told CNN's "American Morning" on Wednesday. "But as they got a little bit closer, Bristol moved out of her parents' home to a condo in Anchorage, they got accustomed to parenting and as they worked out a custody plan, they started spending a lot more time together then started realizing they wanted to reunite."

Powers said the engagement "would fit in with (Sarah Palin's) 'family values' platform. What better than to have your daughter reuniting with the father of the baby and reuniting the family?"

Johnston sent Bristol Palin a text that said, "I miss you. I love you. I want to be with you again." and she was in shock, Powers told CNN.

"They realized that they're really in love and they're together. And she was thrilled when he popped the question with a one-carat diamond ring that you can see the photo of in the new issue," Powers said.

"They say they want it to be quick so, certainly, we'll see them walking down the aisle shortly."

Their teenage relationship fell under an intense public spotlight after Sen. John McCain picked Palin as his vice presidential running mate in August 2008. The couple broke off their engagement about two months after their son's birth in December 2008.

After the couple broke up, Johnston posed in Playgirl Magazine, and said on "The Tyra Banks Show" that they had been allowed to live together, a charge the Palin camp denied.

Johnston irked Sarah Palin last fall by claiming that she referred to her infant son Trig (who has Down syndrome) as "retarded." According to Us Weekly, she fired back, telling reporters that anyone who posed for Playgirl would "say and do anything for even more attention." Later, during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, she dubbed him "Ricky Hollywood" and called his "aspiring porn" career "heartbreaking."

During a nasty custody battle last year, Johnston asked that the case be conducted in public to protect him from Sarah Palin, whom he said was "powerful, politically ambitious and has a reputation for being extremely vindictive."

Bristol Palin said in the custody hearing that Johnston wanted a public case so he could "continue to make a spectacle of this custody dispute for his own self-promotion."

Bristol Palin asked that the paternal grandmother be barred from having any unsupervised visitation with Tripp. Her petition said she "may re-offend, keep medications around the house which could be accessible to the baby, have illegal drug users come to the house (or she could take the baby in her car during a drug sale)."

Johnston's response said his mother's "chronic pain condition is currently being managed in coordination with the Department of Corrections."

On July 7, Johnston publicly apologized to the Palin family in a statement to People Magazine, saying some of his comments about the family were not totally true.

"Last year, after Bristol and I broke up, I was unhappy and a little angry. Unfortunately, against my better judgment, I publicly said things about the Palins that were not completely true," Johnston told People. "I have already privately apologized to Todd and Sarah. Since my statements were public, I owe it to the Palins to publicly apologize."

soundoff(287 Responses)

Peace

Their mother Sarah without a shame announced to the entire world during 2008 campaign, that they will get married soon before the then lost election. But it didn't happen. Why then now?? Is it because she is thinking of running again??? What a free entertainment we are getting!!

July 14, 2010 10:02 am at 10:02 am |

tana

Sarah P, needs to back off, and let those kids live their lives. How can they learn if they dont make mistakes. I'm sure if they need help or someone to lean on, they will ask.

July 14, 2010 10:03 am at 10:03 am |

tana

Yeaaa! to Levi and Bristol. Your baby is adorable. And congrats.

July 14, 2010 10:03 am at 10:03 am |

Cody

CNN, this is not political news by any stretch of the imagination.

July 14, 2010 10:04 am at 10:04 am |

John

PWTT,thats all I can say.

July 14, 2010 10:04 am at 10:04 am |

G

They make a cute couple, maybe one of them will run for office some day?

July 14, 2010 10:05 am at 10:05 am |

Sue

Umm.....if I remember correctly, 1 month ago he was "a stranger" to her, right ?? Nice job on how hypocrisy can make you millions !!

July 14, 2010 10:05 am at 10:05 am |

MAhole

This belongs on Entertainment Weekly – not on the Ticker CNN.............

And DILLIGAFF????

July 14, 2010 10:05 am at 10:05 am |

once upon a horse

I guess it's no reason to ask why THIS is on Political Ticker. It has to do with Sarah Palin so of course CNN has to cover it here.

July 14, 2010 10:07 am at 10:07 am |

Gary

These people are nuts! They go around on national media outlets trashing each other for how long, and now they are engaged? Talk about dysfunctional.

July 14, 2010 10:08 am at 10:08 am |

judge

He knows which side his bread is buttered – plenty of money there. Makes perfect sense especially when he doesn't have a job or any prospects of one.

July 14, 2010 10:09 am at 10:09 am |

Nando

America's most disfunctional family just loves the spotlight and MSM loves to dumbdown America to the rest of the World for these Hicks of Alaska !!!

July 14, 2010 10:10 am at 10:10 am |

Terry - Indiana

I am guessing that she is pregnant. Start the clock.

July 14, 2010 10:11 am at 10:11 am |

Mike Chino Hills

Winners!!! I give them 4 yrs..........

July 14, 2010 10:11 am at 10:11 am |

Rich in PA

and this is in the politcal ticker because...

July 14, 2010 10:12 am at 10:12 am |

Brad

One word: circus.

July 14, 2010 10:12 am at 10:12 am |

Alessandro Senerchia

Congrats Bristol. You have guts to be yourself.

July 14, 2010 10:14 am at 10:14 am |

tim

STOP THE MADNESS...troops are dying... oil is spilling.....people are out of work....no one cares about these morons....leave it ALL in Alaska...CNN is supposed to be a news worthy outfit....

Maybe Sarah will " jump on board" ???? You guys are INSANE.

July 14, 2010 10:14 am at 10:14 am |

MR AMERICA

we saw that coming with that fake apology from Levi lol.

yeah.......he made it all up :)

July 14, 2010 10:14 am at 10:14 am |

Bassman

We know the media will highlight the Sarah/Levi fued. Here is the truth they will keep from the public. Gov. Palin told Oprah they would welcome Levi back. She had the foresight to know the self-destructive nature of Levi would end. She was tough with the boy. She also left the door open to the prodical son.

July 14, 2010 10:14 am at 10:14 am |

bill

so, which of the two figured out that their 15 minutes were up, and this was a good way to add another 15?

July 14, 2010 10:14 am at 10:14 am |

Megan

This is possibly the funniest thing I have read in weeks! This family never ceases to amaze me with their "reality TV show" antics!

This is so obviously a sad attempt by the Palin's to appear to be a family the right wing voters will accept in the White House.

The sad part is that there is a child involved and this will not be a happy marriage. There is definitely a behind the scenes deal involved for Levi and since he is probably out of his Playboy money, he jumped on board.

Sarah Palin is greedy and power hungry. She does not care about you people! Why don't you get that???

July 14, 2010 10:15 am at 10:15 am |

Anne P. CA

Now isn't that just precious. Levi, way to go lining those pockets; I give it about 3 months.

July 14, 2010 10:15 am at 10:15 am |

Hows that oil slick coming along Rush?

Good for them as long as this wasnt her idea,and I hope she doesnt like.Sarah is nothing more than a garden tool for big oil,like BP.

July 14, 2010 10:16 am at 10:16 am |

SteveR

This is simply the 'reverse baby mama" syndrome. he smells more cash with the Palins than without. He has been converted. Pure political scheming by America's least classy family